Tennis: Britons qualify for US

Tennis

Britons qualify for US Open

Mark Petchey and Tim Henman have both won places in the men's singles draw for the US Open, which starts tomorrow. Petchey beat Canada's Andrew Sznajder 6-3 6-0 to qualify, while Henman claimed a 6-3 7-5 victory over the experienced American Robbie Weiss to reach his first Grand Slam outside Wimbledon. Danny Sapsford and Claire Wood, Britain's only representative in the women's singles, was beaten in the first round of qualifying.Jeff Tarango, whose decision to appeal against fines and suspensions resulting from his Wimbledon outburst means he too can play in the US Open has apologised for his SW19 tantrums. The 26-year-old Californian said: "I apologise to my fans and to fans of the game of tennis. I'm not the first athlete to lose his cool under fire, and I hope that just as British Open golf champion John Daly and the great John McEnroe have learnt from their mistakes, I will too." Tarango was fined pounds 13,000 and suspended for three weeks by the ATP Tour a day after the Grand Slam Committee had banned him from two major tournaments, including next year's Wimbledon, and added pounds 18,000 to the record pounds 10,000 fine imposed by the All England Club immediately after his outburst. Tarango walked off court during a third-round Wimbledon match, accusing the French umpire Bruno Rebeuh of corruption and favouritism.